A War for Power
by Ron of Wolves
Summary: Ron, after training for four years, is finally given his first mission by Hirok to stop the forces Orrin and Eroka send to take over a realm, but finds himself fighting for the very balance itself. first chapter is the sloppiest so don't judge the story by that since I'm still remaking it.
1. Arrival

Attention: before reading realise that the first and second chapters are being rewritten to better understand the environment, so don't be surprised when there's sudden changes to either chapters.

That is all...

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As a few guardians were flying over one of the towns on Ricaldron, still repairing itself from the last war practice, Ron appeared in front of a council house before he turned to where Hirok was sitting just beside the door.

"Hirok, I would say it's been some time, but then I'd be lying." Said Ron smiling as he walked over to Hirok, who just nodded and signaled for Ron to follow. "So how are the realms doing?"

"Pretty well, Orrin and Eroka are starting to cool down the fighting for the peace times that are coming in a few months." Said Hirok as he looked up at a replica of a Roman Pantheon being rebuilt, with a few roman scholars telling the guardians what went where. "Unfortunately, however, they don't usually end it completely until peace times start, so we still have the problem of their war going into the realms under our protection, which is why I called you over."

"So why did you call me, my friend?" asked Ron as he looked at Hirok confused.

"You are to go on your first mission to help a neutral realm." Said Hirok making Ron wide eyed.

"What realm, and what reason?" asked Ron as he looked at Hirok while regaining his composure.

"The realm is one of the few realms that were the origins to the Maple Story games in our realms." Said Hirok seeing Ron holding a slight bit of joy. "You are to help the guardian and demon of that realm stop the monsters they are facing as well as a mission which they will explain. Their timeline is undetermined besides the fixed points that have happened in our realms, so anything goes in there. Also, this will be the first mission you'll do alone until time calls for otherwise."

"Okay then, but there has to be a catch, there always is." Said Ron making Hirok smirk before he tapped Rons forehead causing him to stagger before he looked at his body in shock before he closed his eyes only to teleport to an area a few feet to the left of where he previously was. He then looked at Hirok to see him smirking. "What did you just do to my real body?"

"Your real one is now in a sleeping state until the mission is completed, or you die here." Said Hirok as a portal opened and Ron began to feel the area more vividly. "That way you wont leave every now and then like you always do."

"I get bored." Said Ron as he walked over to the portal. He then tugged his clothing before it changed into a cloak over a black shirt and white martial arts pants. "I'm guessing I'll have to choose a class?"

"In this case you can still use all of your abilities, but you'll be starting from how you were in the beginning of your training since your real body isn't as adept to your strength in these dimensions." Said Hirok making Ron smile before walking towards the portal as Hirok tossed a bag Ron easily recognized before catching and putting on his belt. "Be careful, intelligence says that Orrin and Eroka sent people to try and turn this realm, and our own people who lead that realm are having trouble with it, so you'll have to find and contact them. Also, you're free to ask for reinforcements as long as they aren't currently needed in their realm."

"Got it." Said Ron before the portal opened up into a large harbor with a few floating areas which shocked Ron before he saw the people there more humanoid, shocking him even further. "He should have at least told me this."

As he continued walking he saw a familiar weapons store before walking over to it. When he walked into the store he saw a wall holding countless weapons before the shopkeeper walked over to him from the counter. "Welcome sir, what weapons are you looking for?"

"Can I have that pole arm up there, those two daggers, the two pistols, that bow and the Gladius?" asked Ron as he pointed to each item on the wall before the shop keeper nodded and set them each on the counter while pulling up the price on it as Ron started pulling out around a few thousand dollar mesos and set them down counting. When he put the total amount he closed the moneybag and put it on his belt before he took the weapons and set each onto each holster the shopkeeper had for them.

"Thanks." Said Ron as he put his cloak back on while holding the pole arm before walking out. He then walked to the edge of town before he sensed something in the distance and ran straight towards it, seeing destruction as he ran. When he finally reached a desolate area he saw a guardian was on the side of a tree badly wounded as a slime, which strangely looked the same as the original ones he saw, was staring at them before Ron pulled out the bow and shot it into another tree before he ran to the guardian who just pulled off their helmet and looked at him.

"Hirok's student? Should have guessed he'd send you." Said the guardian before he coughed up blood. "I was ambushed by the one Eroka sent. You have to stop them… they're after the power of the Black Mage."

"I was guessing as much, asking to recruit him like you would have destroyed him?" asked Ron before the guardian shook his head.

"Both sides are after what gives him power, the item he always used, Orrin told us to look for the chains…" was all the guardian could say before it's body turned to dust from the prolonged wound making Ron blow them away with a wind spell.

"Chains?" Ron asked to himself before he saw a book where the dust had been which he picked it up. "'Legendary weapons of Heroes and Villains' huh? Well worth a while to read."

He then started walking to where his memory told him Perion was before he heard a shout of commands making him turn to see a group of people fighting what appeared to be a giant snail with sharp teeth and a bushy mustache. Smirking at the sight of a fight he ran up beside one who just looked at him and sighed.

"You want to help, kill it." Said the man before Ron nodded and started running with the Pole arm in his hand, hopping over a few wounded of the group and hitting incoming attacks away from a few monkeys that were in the trees. He then jumped forward preparing the pole arm before he stabbed through the snails skull making them all look at him shocked as he pulled out the weapon and landed. When he looked back at them he felt a giant pain in his arms that made him shout and kneel as the muscles on them were tightening to where he couldn't move them as the guys ran over to him.

"You, give him a healing potion." Said a armored character with a spear to a robed figure before they nodded and force fed Ron a white drink that tasted sort of like vanilla ice cream but with something extra added to it. When he was done his arms had stopped tensing he was moving them as he looked up at the other people.

"Thanks." Said Ron as he looked at them smiling. "Guess that's what my friend meant by returning me to beginning techniques."

"So you're a pole arm user?" asked the armored man as Ron looked at him.

"And sword, along with a normal staff and magic, with a few summons, along with an assortment of weapons." Said Ron making them look at him shocked. "Though I don't think I'll be able to use those for awhile."

"Well anyway, if it wasn't for you we would've lost some good men." Said the man as two of the guys cut through the snails underbelly and pulled out two guys that started barfing up slime while a bishop was healing them. "I have to thank you for that."

"It wasn't any trouble." Said Ron as he lifted himself up with his pole arm, still a bit wary, before he looked back at them. "So what was that thing?"

"New, eh? That was Grand Pa Snail, and he started causing havoc to wandering adventurers that immediately run to towns without the proper resources." Said the man before one of the people tossed him a shell that looked like a rainbow puked on it and he handed it to Ron. "Should be given to the one that stopped him."

"I see." Said Ron as he remembered the monster in the game before he took the shell and looked over at the giant snail. He then walked over to it's body and bowed his head in prayer. "Rest in peace."

"Why did you say that to them?" asked the bishop as the snail's body started glowing before it disappeared making Ron wide eyed. "Its just going back to it's original home before returning to life."

"Really?" asked Ron before looking back at them. "So who are you guys anyway?"

"We're a guild that just started a few weeks ago, and a few of us are veterans in these fights." Said the man as he looked over at him. "We're still recruiting members and you have some potential. Would you like to join?"

"Sure, but what is your guilds name though?" asked Ron as he looked at them.

"Wonderwerk." Said the mage as he looked at Ron who just smiled at a memory he had involving them. "We know it's not that threatening of a name but we like it as it is."

"Wonderwerk, huh?" said Ron before he put the pole arm up and looked at all of them, seeing similarities of them with the guild he remembered, before he smiled and nodded. "That sounds like a fun guild name. So do you guys know of any places to train quick?"

"There's multiple places, but we're currently supposed to go on another expedition for a job at New Leaf City." Said the man before they were walking to the direction of a giant tree. "There's a quick route through the upper part of the forest or by using the return scrolls."

"Return scrolls?" asked Ron before he was tossed a scroll that had Kerning's seal on it.

"Just follow what I do." Said the man before he tore the scroll and it opened a gap through space, which he jumped into before disappearing. Ron, after standing there for a minute shocked as the other people that were carrying the wounded used scrolls they had, looked at the scroll, took a deep breath, and tore it.

(Fifteen minutes later, at New Leaf City…)

"You sure you're okay?" asked the man, Iso as everyone was calling him, as they were getting into a limo/truck/thing that takes people to the forest. "People usually pass out or lose their lunch when they first use scroll teleportation."

"I'm sure I'm fine, It's far from the worst type of travel I've been through." Said Ron looking out the window, a bit green, as three other people from the guild walked into the vehicle before it started moving and turning through the city, ten times bigger than Ron remembered with streets he never saw, before it went through a portal into a dark forest. "So what's the deal with this job anyway?"

"That's the thing, a mansion appeared seven months ago, and we don't even know what caused it." Said Iso as a warrior with a spear scooted over beside them, the guild master if Ron remembered, before they turned to Ron. "All we know is that an expedition was sent in to investigate, all newly made first job class adventurers as well as new Cygnus knights, and they all returned carrying wounded as well as a few bodies of puppets, so we've been given the assignment of finding out what caused their injuries."

"Why not ask them?" asked Ron as he looked at them, knowing full well what they were about to face.

"They only said that it was a form of monsters they never saw before in any of the books, and they used the puppets as well as other things to attack people." Said Iso before they stopped in front of a mansion Ron knew too well. "Well, here we are."

"Let's see what's inside." Said the guild leader as he looked at them. "Ready my friend?"

"Just as much as last time." Said Iso as he and Ron got out of the vehicle with the other guild members to stare at the mansion, familiar to Ron yet scarier than when he first saw it. "I hope everyone brought a lot of potions, seeing as how those small fries fared."

"Got them in my bag." Said the guild master as he patted his bag on his side.

"That's good Images." Said Iso making Ron look at the man shocked. "Well, let's go."

"Lets." Said Ron as he smiled and walked through the door as the others walked in cautiously. "I'm guessing the others are Nikki, Karon, and Hammi?"

"How did you guess that?" asked one of the two girls that were with them that had blonde hair. "Are we famous?"

"No, you can just call it a lucky guess." Said Ron as he pulled out one of his guns and shot the first Boogie Jr. he saw to see if he was really as weak as he thought he was while the others just looked at it shocked. He then put the gun away when a dark essence left it before he pulled out his pole arm. "Yeah we've got company."

Just as he finished a few more ghosts appeared causing the others to draw their weapons. Ron jumped through a few of them slashing through their bodies as he smirked before he landed as the other ghosts turned to look at him before being slashed by Images' Spear as well as Iso and Karon's magic. The remaining monsters of the first wave were then hit with Hammi's and Nikki's ice magic as Ron ran towards the next wave and was slashing through the ghosts with ease, feeling his original strength slowly returning as he dodged the ghosts attacks and slashed through them, watching each dark essence that left them fly into one area. When the others had made it to him he had already cut down half of the ghosts. They then decimated the rest of the ghosts with a giant ice spell as Iso healed the wounds any of them had gained, though Ron just stretched his arms and kept walking around the room, looking at the pictures as he walked towards the stairs that led to the next floor.

"Do you know what this place is?" came a voice from above making him look up to see a maid holding a glass with a liquid that seemed like wine. Ron just smirked and jumped as high as he could, barely reaching the top of the second floor before he grabbed onto the rail and pulled himself over, nearly tripping into the wall where the picture of an old man sat. When he regained his footing he looked over to the maid to see a butler beside her.

"You could say that." Said Ron as he sat down in a chair by the wall. "So when's that picture going to start changing like the rest will."

"Every time someone passes, as the master asked." Said the butler as Ron smirked and created a bubble of light, which he tossed into the air to reveal the entire room.

"And why do the power they hold move towards the path that usually leads to the Library?" asked Ron as he looked at the two seeing their smiles not change. "So they empower us with the ability to learn or relearn our skills every time we defeat them?"

"In a manner of speaking." Said the maid as the others appeared at the top of the stairs to see Ron and the two. "So what are you planning to do?"

"Train by destroying every last one of those things until I can remember everything." Said Ron smirking as he stood up and looked at the picture. "It's not like they don't come back every time, right?"

"True, but how did you know of their names?" asked the butler as Ron started walking over to the door.

"Let's just say I have access to more things than any normal human is capable of." Said Ron as he opened the door and looked at it in shock making the others walk over to see what he was staring at. "Now I've seen everything twice over."

He then walked in to look at what looked to be a whirlpool like library full of monsters as a more humanoid version of a twisted Jesters were roaming the hall above them making him smile before he jumped up and grabbed the edge of the rail of the next floor and rolled over it, slashing at one of the Jesters before it bounced off making him look at it shocked.

_What?_ thought Ron as he ducked under the creatures attack before he slashed upward with his blade covering itself with light before it bounced off again. _There has to be some weakness to this thing._

Ron then closed his eyes before opening them again, his left eye changing blood red and his right into light and darkness mixing together as Images and Iso jumped up and saw him before his features mixed into an emotionless look as his hands were engraved with red runes among them before he jumped forward as the gladius changed into a demonic and holy sword. When he slashed again the blade still bounced off the Jester's body but left a dent in it before he saw something glinting under the cloth clinging to the Jester by stitching making him smirk slightly before his entire state changed back and he stabbed the blade into the ground while his left hand made the form of a claw and his other into a knife like state before he took an attack stance.

"First stance of the neutral style, destruction and harmony." Said Ron as his cloak disappeared before he jumped forward immediately. The Jester then tried to run into him but Ron rolled over the creature while his claw like hand moved up the stitching and grabbed the threads, cutting through each one like a knife. When the stitching was slightly opened enough to attack the inside with, Ron shoved a gun straight through the gap he made and started shooting in the jester followed by a sort of scream of pain that seemed to come from the jester before it went limp and a black spirit flew out and towards the bottom of the library as the jesters body fell over and Ron walked to the others panting.

"That was tiring." Said Ron as he stopped in front of them before he saw their eyes looking behind him. He then turned his head before he went wide eyed as he saw a guardians wing on his right and a demons wing on his left before they melted onto his arms and he felt his fatigue leaving him as well as a bit of power returning before he looked at the others again.

"What just happened?" asked Images as he looked at Ron shocked while Iso held up a screen and just stared at it wide eyed.

"I think he had a job advancement without the help of a teacher." Said Iso as he set down the screen for them to see showing Ron and an aura rimming around him that was a white, black, and red before it went back to when the wings had appeared showing him with half as much power.

"I did not expect that being how weak I was." Said Ron as he pulled out the gladius from the floor, blade returned to its normal state. "Makes me wonder what I've gained."

He then closed his eyes, focusing on the area around him before he heard the heartbeat of the other two, as well as a small rhythm that came from the monsters that made him open his eyes in shock making the other two look at him.

_That sound resonating from them, it's too obvious why they were able to let me regain a bit of my powers._ thought Ron as he held out his hand, a weapon slowly forming in it before it disappeared with him panting. _And I can't even summon the usual weapons I use._

"This place is just a den of monster souls, too strong for any normal explorers that hasn't made their way through half of their first job advancement." Said Ron as he looked at the area, his eyes beginning to glow as he was scanning the area, another ability he wanted to try out again as they heard magic attacks under them before Hammi, Karon and Nikki appeared just to the left of Images. "I think I'll stay here and train for a few weeks."

"Are you sure, there's still more of those things on this floor and if you made a job advancement from them already then you must have had a tough time with them." Said Images as Iso nodded before three more of the Jesters saw them and started moving towards them, smiles curling on their faces as they were sliding on the floor before their bodies were dented as Images appeared in three places on each of them before he was behind them as they crumpled away with the spirits flying out and following the trail of the first one. Ron just smirked as he looked at the destruction Images had left before he heard a step behind him followed by flying into a bookshelf on his right before he looked and saw the Jester he fought before back up.

As Ron got back up, he felt a searing pain in his arm making him look at it to see it bending in the opposite way. Iso ran up to him as he looked at the area Ron was hit.

"Seems that arm was from the shelf." Said Iso as he grabbed Rons arm making him shout as Iso forced it back into place before it started healing rapidly, the wounds from the bones movement healing like water washing over a fire. When Iso was done healing Ron the Jester was right behind him making Ron grab the blade and slash through the jesters strings again before pulling its head apart revealing the spirit. He then grabbed it with a cage of light Hirok taught him to make with his control over light and darkness from magic just as it was about to leave, followed by Ron's own power to increase again, but just barely this time.

"You will take us to your master." Said Ron as he looked at the spirit while holding it. "Or I will send you to a place where you'll wish you could stay dead."

The spirit started it's rhythm in a pattern Ron recognized as okay before he released the cage and started following it as Iso just looked at him shocked. Ron then turned to Iso and the others, smirking as he followed the spirit.

"If you don't want to get left behind, you better follow before you lose us." Said Ron as he turned back and ran after the spirit, watching Iso run towards the others shouting something before they were soon following. Ron then jumped down after the spirit as it started going towards the center of the area before stopping at the center while Ron landed beside it and looked down to see a seal as the others appeared on the rim, Images landing just behind him.

"What is this?" asked Images as he looked at the seal.

"It's a spell to lock the entrance of an area, made from the inside by the looks of the markings." Said Ron as he held his hand over one symbol he recognized. "Made by someone who doesn't want to fight anything until he's forced to."

Ron then pressed his hand on the symbol before it glowed along with fifteen others around him as the area started lowering before the others tried to jump in after him.

"None shall enter here besides those who know the seals." Came a voice before they were flung back by a barrier as a hooded figure, bearing the symbol of the neutral realms, appeared right in front of Ron while the others looked at them shocked. "So has a warrior for Hirok finally arrived? Or is it one of Eroka's men to try and take the location from me?"

"I am Hirok's student, he told me one of the protectors of this realm would tell me what to do." Said Ron as the black spirit landed on the figures shoulder before it changed into a handle which the figure grabbed causing it to change into a purple shield.

"If you are Hirok's student then you will have to prove it using his style." Said the figure as they pulled out a blue and black mace while their hood slipped off revealing a man with long hair and a seal on his eyes, his skin a light purple. "If you can do at least one hit with his style then I'll accept you as one of his students."

"Fine." Said Ron as his eyes changed into a red, white, and black circling each other as his hands took the shape of a claw that had a red glow around it and an open palm with a white glow and a dark void. "Guess I'll have to go all out."

The man then swung his mace releasing a demonic claw from within it making Ron jump to the side barely dodging it before he slashed with his own claw releasing four beams of a dark red energy which the man held his shield up against before it exploded in his face making him look at it shocked as smoke encircled the area while Ron ran around the figure. The man seemed to be following Ron through the smoke as his mace started to gain energy before a giant sword took form from his mace as he started swinging it at Ron who pulled out the pole arm and stabbed it at the ground, barely blocking the sword as it slid up the pole arm while Ron ran towards the weakspot and took out a gun, shooting the man as he looked at Ron smirking as he blocked it before realizing what he was doing causing the sword to turn back into a mace almost like putty.

"Too slow." Said Ron as he slid under the man and kicked his chest, making solid contact as he lightly tapped him and jumped back from it as the man looked at Ron shocked.

"That wasn't Hirok's style." Said the man as he looked at Ron.

"In technicality it was." Said Ron as he held up the gun that he used, now glowing red. "A gun embedded with demonic power during the fight as the smoke encircled the area and a guardian style that was used a few thousand years ago during the beginnings of the war of Orrin and Eroka's making."

"So in technicality, demon style and guardian style mixed." Said the man before laughing. "Yes, Hirok was right about you. Just like him in finding possibilities when you're weakened to a massive extent. Go on, ask away."

"Apparently Orrin and Eroka's men are looking for a type of chains within the Black Mages seal, do you know anything about them?" asked Ron as the floor started coming up revealing the monsters currently gone or standing still with everyone still in the room staring at the floor. Iso landed behind Ron as the man only nodded.

"They are not just any chains." Said the man in Ricaldrian as a table appeared in between the two before they sat. "They are part of Narakiims own armor, the chains that maximized his weapons powers. You've faced the same thing earlier with the crown, remember?"

"Don't remind me." Replied Ron in the same tongue as the others looked at him shocked before he turned to them. "You can go tell the town that as long as the warriors they send in are experienced in fighting powerful monsters, then they can enter here. I'll be staying and chatting with this guy, though."

"Okay then." Said Images, putting his spear back on his back and nodding to the others before they left and Ron turned back to the man.

"So who are you?" asked Ron as he looked at the man. "I know that you're the legendary Demon Slayer but I never expected you to be the demon for this realm."

"It's not surprising, since no one's learned my name besides my comrades, and that wasn't even my demon name." said the man as he looked over at the rest of the area. "For now you can call me Sarceal, and you are going to need training."

"Okay that I understand." Said Ron smirking as he looked at Sarceal. "Just one more question."

"Sure." Said Sarceal as he looked at the design on his mace.

"How come every time I strike down a monster, my body slowly gets stronger?" asked Ron as he looked at Sarceal.

"It's because of their knowledge over others fighting styles is passed on into you." Said Sarceal smirking. "It's like you have a serving of another persons life every time you defeat one of the monsters or a Black Wing."

"I see, so it's like the memory pools that some of us use to enhance our bodies and remember everything our soul has forgotten." Said Ron as he looked at the ceiling before snapping back to reality. "Well that's all the questions I have, so where do we begin?"

"We begin with a few quests you'll accompany me with." Said Sarceal as a cat landed on the table startling Ron. "Oh and my cat was wondering if you'd break her curse."

"You mean Masterma?" asked Ron making the cat nod. "I'm not sure, the last time I tried to change someone back there was a predicament, plus I don't think I can without most of my original powers."

"I see, then I'll help out with that." Said Sarceal as he pulled out a bottle and tossed it at Ron. "I'm guessing they have these in the game in your realm?"

"Yeah but you have to make them." Said Ron as he recognized the blue color in the bottle before he flew it back to Sarceal. "Aren't these extremely hard to come by?"

"Almost impossible, actually, even if you're just looking for a bottle to make it." Said the cat making Ron look at it. "It took me five hundred years to make that from the monsters in this realm, but he never used it."

"Nor do I plan to." Said Sarceal before looking at the cat. "You said it was only three years old."

"I wanted to surprise you." Said the cat making Sarceal look at the bottle in thought.

"Well either way, I can't increase my strength any further, I've already tried." Said Sarceal as he tossed it over to Ron as runes started appearing on it before Ron caught it again. "I know you want to train your body to an extent but we don't have time for that, so I used my powers to allow you to sip only a small portion of it, seeing as how it's powerful enough to make someone turn like the Black Mage did."

"Speaking of which, where did he get the chains anyway?" asked Ron as he looked at the bottle, mainly in thought than studying the runes.

"During the final battle of the War of Guardians and Demons, when Narakiim's weapons flew across the realms in his death, the Black Mage was searching for a way to become immortal." Said Sarceal as he looked at the table this time, as if remembering the beginning of an apocalypse. "While he was searching through the scrolls he asked me for, a newly made general with no memories of the war of guardians and demons, the chains then landed in this forest. The Black Mage sent me to investigate to find what landed here, that's when I found them. And when I took them, my own power increased incredibly as well as the return of my memories. That was also when I realized whose chains they belonged to, the demon that put me in this current life. I planned to leave them in my chambers but the black mage wanted to see them, when he did he gained powers from it as well letting his dream of immortality exponentially closer, and thus started his ambition to take over the world."

"And thus the reason we need to lock them in the vault." Said Ron before Sarceal shook his head.

"Hirok and I agreed that the best thing to do was to hide the chains here, beyond the Narakiim's reach and far from the reach of the guardians and demons, especially the remaining followers of Narakiim." Said Sarceal as he looked at Ron who just looked confused. "In other words if we keep the root of his weapons powers with the rest of his armor, then it's more like we're helping him. Either way they're nearly unusable now, after I broke them apart and used the last of my power back then to scatter them across the realms."

"Okay then, that makes sense, and the reason why all the weapons have different locations." Said Ron as he looked back at the bottle. "So you're sure I should take this?"

"Yes but only a little of it, that stuff practically works your body to the amount you have drank." Said Sarceal looking up at the ceiling before looking back to see around five milliliters of it gone with Ron on the ground spasming in pain. "Though in this case just one drop is enough to cause you to grow around three times your current strength, with the after effect of pain."

"WHY DIDN'T YOU WARN ME?" shouted Ron as he kept tensing before light, dark, and demonic magic was firing out of him uncontrollably while Sarceal and the cat just watched.

"Is that the other reason why you didn't drink it?" asked Mastema as she looked at Ron.

"Pretty much, but it was still a good gift, though you didn't know what would happen." Said Sarceal as he watched Ron stop tensing finally before he got up, magic slowly stopping before he turned to them shocked as he looked at his body, muscles still tensing but growing more muscular than before while he moved his legs into the splits and was stretching his arms behind his back while they kept growing more muscular.

"What are you doing?" asked Mastema as she looked at Ron.

"Stretching while my muscles improve." Said Ron as his muscles started going down but still tensing up. "If they go too far while I don't stretch, then I'll be unable to do most of my hand to hand skills."

"In other words stretching while growing stronger." Said Sarceal before standing up. "Well you're going to be there for the next two days so I'll go ask the maid and butler to prepare something."

"Okay the-wait, two days?" shouted Ron as Sarceal jumped over to the door and walked out before he looked at the cat. "He wasn't serious was he?"

"He doesn't usually joke around." Said the cat before Ron just sighed as light started covering himself in a shell. "What are you doing?"

"Since I can't leave this place anyway I'll be asleep for the next two days in this position." Said Ron as his head was covered as well as his arms as he stopped stretching them and moved them to his legs before the light was moving his arms on its own as he closed his eyes to sleep.

"Come on Ron, its not that bad." Came Hirok as Ron looked at him in a white field within his dream.

"Easy for you to say, you didn't get hit by an intense muscle spasm that is painful enough for it to hurt in your own realm apparently, because I could literally feel it." Said Ron as he looked over at Hirok. "The only up side is that now I'm the same level of strength as my crusader on the game version of this."

"With the only price being unimaginable pain for two whole days." Said Hirok while Ron looked at his arms.

"I'm still feeling it from here." Said Ron as he started walking up one part that seemed to be a wall as Hirok walked over him. "Why didn't you tell me about the chains."

"It was better to not talk about them yet, otherwise Orrin and Eroka could've found out, as well as Narakiims forces." Said Hirok as he looked up at Ron who was just looking into the distant spaces that changed into tunnels every now and then, giving them thoughts from other versions of themselves. "They think I don't know about the spies they have in the neutral realms while ours are all around them to warn us of these things. What, do they think I was born ten thousand years after them?"

"Didn't stop them from finally finding them." Said Ron as he started sliding on the air like wall as Hirok jumped up and flipped onto the ceiling. "So why send me?"

"You needed the training, every one would start off the same way, you would have an advantage in this realm compared to others, and you were complaining about wanting a quest anyway." Said Hirok making Ron smirk before they were on the same gravity held terrain again. "So how was the two days here."

"I took a leveling potion and am currently stretching in the mansion by New Leaf." Said Ron making Hirok burst out laughing.

"Well I think you'll be fine now, knowing how some like those work it should be done." Said Hirok before the scene started to turn to darkness. "In the meantime you should make a name for yourself over there as well as test out your new abilities."

"Fine." Said Ron before they turned away and disappeared from the realm.

"He's finally coming out of the shell." Said Sarceal as Mastema was trying to fix a crack in the white shell that had kept him stretching nonstop. "Get a power elixer from my bag."

"Yes sir." said Masterma before the crack spread all over the shell.

"Okay then I'm up." Said Ron as the shell shattered and he stood up while Mastema ran off. "Knowing the usual drill of how things have been happening to me, I'm most likely going to be falling over in pain soon until I take a potion again, wont I?"

"Unfortunately." Said Sarceal as Mastema came back with a power elixer before Ron took it and drank it, sputtering at the taste and the pain that started coming. "Oh and your guild came by to check up on how you were doing earlier today and I told them what happened, so in any case they were all shocked. Also, they wanted you and me to go with them to take out Horntail in an expedition."

"What do you think we should do?" asked Ron as he looked at the demon slayer who took out his weapon.

"It depends on if you're ready or not." Said Sarceal before he swung his mace at Ron. Ron quickly held his right hand out before a shield formed blocking the mace and consuming it as it changed into a cape while Ron's other hand drew a knife from the air putting it inches from Sarceal's throat with his own magic close to Ron's chest.

"Does that give you an answer?" asked Ron as they put their weapons up before Sarceal nodded.

"You should use your other weapons while you're here for the moment." Said Sarceal as he turned around. "In the meantime I'll call your guild and tell them we're agreeing, though we'll need to travel to them faster."

"Well I can teleport again if I can use my usual weapons." Said Ron as he fired a spark that flew through the roof while he walked behind him. "So why did you want me to try and break the curse anyway?"

"Well from what Hirok said, you can break the usual curses, right?" asked Sarceal as he looked over at Ron who only nodded. "Well I was only checking to see if you could since she keeps asking me about it."

"I see." Said Ron as his eyes turned a dark green while he looked over at Mastema to see around fifty seals on her that were more guardian made than demon made. "Where did Arkanium learn Guardian seals?"

"Probably from the goddess, because those seals are far stronger than usual ones." Said Sarceal before Ron cracked his knuckles smirking. "Ron?"

"You make the call, I'll work on breaking this curse." Said Ron smirking making Sarceal and Mastema look at him shocked. "It's not everyday that someone gets a challenge like this."

Sarceal only nodded while Mastema just looked at him shocked as he looked at the seals as a pencil and paper went into his hand and he was drawing the seal that was on it.

"Okay then, let's see." Said Ron as he started with the words. "Grain, grass, river, life, trees… that's odd."

"What?" asked Mastema as Sarceal came in with a mobile phone calling the guild.

"It's the words, usually these are for seals of protection, but if they're said by a demon then they cause an entirely different effect, as well as different meanings." Said Ron making Sarceal look at him about to protest. "And no, I don't think it was you. You were fighting against the black mage at the time."

"How did-oh right your realm turned us into a game." Said Sarceal as he looked over at Mastema. "Now that you mention it, it's only demon seals written like guardian ones. Eternal, restless, nightwalker, all the seals for a transformation curse. How did I not see this?"

"Because I'm the one that's been studying the thousands of seals for the past two years in hopes to find out how to unseal my realm." Said Ron as he started studying the seals. "In total it will take at least two days for me to make a counter seal to this, but for now we should see what the guild is thinking."

"Just got connected to them." Said Sarceal before he handed the phone to Ron.

"Sarceal?" came Images voice making Ron smirk as he sat down in a chair that formed. "Are you calling about the expedition against the Horned Tail?"

"Just tell us the time and place." Said Ron before hearing a laugh on the other end of the phone.

"Okay then, we'll see you at Leafre in two hours. Sarceal said you'd have trained enough to face the creatures there when you finished fighting." Replied Images as a portal appeared in the center of the room making Ron sigh and stand up as the chair vanished.

"Understood." Said Ron as the servants came in with his and Sarceal's weapons before they both took them. "I'll see you over there."

With that he hung up and put his weapons in their respectable slots on his belt before he looked over at the portal to see a small ball fly through it before he grabbed it and tossed it back even faster. "Did you really have to do that?" asked Sarceal as Ron finished strapping his pole arm onto his back before his clothing changed into armor covered in white and black metals.

"It's become a habit." said Ron as they walked through the portal before they were face to face to a vast forest that had thousands of plants that he had never seen before Sarceal snapped him out of his astonishment by pushing him a bit.

"Come on, we'll have more time to revel at the plants later." Was all he said as he passed Ron over to the direction of where a type of city was with a small furry creature running after the ball Ron threw. "Found where you threw the ball?"

"Yep." Said Ron as he saw the creature before he started walking with Sarceal to the town.

* * *

sorry for the continuous changes to the chapter, but this chapter is currently under reconstruction that will probably not stop until a later time.


	2. Horn Tail

"So here's the plan," said Images as him, Iso, Ron, Sarceal and Nick, a fire mage that Ron remembered from the guild as well, were near the cavern looming over a map with Horn Tail's picture in the center. "Apparently Horn Tail's just turned into his Chaos form from the amount of time since he last reformed so we'll have to give it our all against him, no holding back."

"Think you can take this one like you did the Jester's, Ron?" asked Iso as he looked over to Ron who just smirked.

"Better than I would've thought two days ago, actually." Said Ron as Sarceal only nodded before Images looked at the two.

"Okay, we'll need to have buffs ready and you need to use your seals here to stall him while we attack the vital points." Said Images as he pointed to locations. "Let's make sure we all come out of this okay, got it?"

"Understood." Said Sarceal before they all drew their weapons and started to go in, everyone besides Ron activating buffs as he just concentrated his magic around his guns as he pulled them out. Just as they went in they heard a scream that made Ron immediately run towards the location of the Horn Tail, kicking two dragon guards that tried to stop him into a wall knocking them out before he teleported past the rest as Sarceal was telling them to stop before he was in the area to see the Horn Tail hit a blonde haired girl into the wall beside him. Ron then ran to the girl to see if she was okay.

"Ron!" called Sarceal as Ron noticed the red scarf on the girl making his eyes turn blood red. Sarceal then appeared beside him before he saw the girl. "Do you know her?"

"Not sure." Said Ron before he held his hand over her head before he saw her first name in her head, a word he had seen countless times in the game during his Silent Crusade missions in the game, one he didn't expect to even come across. Starling. "Now I'm certain I do. Make sure no one tries to get in my way."

With that he stood up and turned while Sarceal tended to the girls wounds before he walked towards the dragon as his weapons changed more demonic with a seal appearing around the dragon and him. "Ron!" Shouted Images before he, Sarceal and Nick managed to slip through making Ron look at them with his eyes starting to change back.

"Didn't I say not to let them through?" asked Ron before Sarceal pointed to Iso who was healing the girl.

"She'll be fine, and you're not as experienced in fighting the Horn Tail to even fight his Chaos form, otherwise they wouldn't have called in a group to take him out." Said Sarceal as he looked at the creature before looking at it wide eyed. "That can't be…"

"What?" asked Images as him and Nick looked at the creature before Sarceal looked at Ron seriously.

"You'll have no choice but to not hold back against it, just look at it's chest and you'll see why." Said Sarceal as he took out his mace while a black and red demonic aura covered and reshaped it as Ron looked through its weak points. While Ron looked over it's chest he saw something that made him just as wide eyed for a second. "Seems that someone's found them again, and is using their powers for their own needs."

"Planting them in the creatures though? Who would think that up?" asked Ron as his clothes changed into a robe with a white and black hood that covered his face while a red line went in between the two colors as Images and Nick looked at Ron shocked. "Seems this will be quite the party. Any ideas Images?"

"Mainly to attack the vital points, like I said before." Said Images as he took out his spear and took an attack stance while Nick pulled out his wand. "Think you could make a seal that can weaken him?"

"What do you think that seal was for, though I don't think any of them will be effective." Said Ron before they all jumped away as one of the dragons heads tried to bite them.

"It's still the same speed!" shouted Images to Ron as they landed around it.

"That's because the thing embedded into its chest has made it ten times as strong as the normal Chaos Horn Tail you've all faced before." Said Sarceal as Ron was firing a barrage of bullets on the two outer heads of the dragon before he put the weapons up and drew his pole arm. He then slashed into it's chest before he saw a clear visual of the object embedded in it. Ron then slashed around the item in the dragons chest as the center dragon head looked down at him before he held up his hand and was firing a barrage of multiple magic types that formed into a three colored barrage of red, white and black, hitting the head back slightly before it continued it's movement towards him just to have Images stab his spear into the dragons head, making it rear back in anger as he landed on it's shoulder.

"I'm not called a Dragon Knight for nothing." Said Images making Ron smirk before he looked down at the item embedded into the dragon, a small chain link attached to a sheath stabbed into the dragon, and grabbed a hold of it again.

"Who dares to take my power?" boomed the dragon making Images and Ron jump off shocked, Ron holding the chain link but the sheath still in the dragon.

"That thing can speak?" shouted Nick as he stopped preparing an attack. Ron just looked at the chain link before he sighed and walked forward as Sarceal did as well

"This _power_ of yours does not belong to you, or anyone that inhabits this place." Said Ron as he looked up at the dragon while walking forward, his eyes changing from red to green as a sword formed in his hand. "So I can go all out on this thing?"

"You have to, just make sure he can regenerate." Said Sarceal as a shadow appeared on a cliff above them which just looked down at them. "My question is why are Silent Crusade members attacking expedition monsters."

"Beats me, but that will have to wait until after this child is dealt with." Said Ron before the two jumped away from a blast of energy from Horn Tail.

"Do not mock me, I am now a god among monsters!" stated the Horn Tail before Sarceal's clothing changed into armor shaped to look like a form of hell with three runes on the center piece.

"Images, Nick." Stated Sarceal as Ron's sword started changing into a more demonic state while a demons wing tore out of his right shoulder blade. The two then looked at Sarceal as he spun his mace while his own buffs increased in power. "Me and Ron will be attacking it's chest attempting to take out the sheath stuck there. While we're doing this we'll need you to draw its attention by any means necessary."

"Got it." Said Images as he spun his spear, his eyes turning more serious than before while Nick nodded and started forming spells for a firestorm. Sarceal then walked beside Ron as Ron's attire changed into blood red robes before he placed the blade on his shoulder.

"Ready?" asked Sarceal as his mace changed into a dark crimson, screams beginning to emit from the weapon as he began to smirk.

"Let's go." Said Ron before the two jumped forward slashing beams through the air. All the attacks hit their mark into the creatures' chest but only left the scales red. "So he's nearly immune to the power of demons, a good thing to note."

"Already have, better use the guardian's form of fighting on this thing, I'll try and pull the sheath out of its chest." Said Sarceal as they both landed on the dragons chest before Images appeared in five places around the dragons legs cutting through them as Nick fired his spells into the dragons head. Ron's robes then turned into a mix between literal light and darkness while Sarceal grabbed the sheath and started to slowly pull it free. The Horn Tail's middle head, shielded by the other two from the fire storm, looked down at Sarceal before Ron appeared in front of the dragon and slashed one of it's horns off with a white blade, making it reel back roaring before both claws tried to slash through him as two guardians wings tore out of Ron's back. Ron smirked as he flew around the arms, slashing runes into fifteen places on each arm, before he landed in the center again. He then stabbed the blade into it's chest and drew various runes in the air as they started encircling the blade before he pushed his sword in like a key as Sarceal finally pulled the sheath out, his armor glowing a darker red as his power was multiplying, before Ron twisted the sword sideways causing all the runes to explode as he jumped back while the blade disappeared, reappearing in his hand as the two landed before Nick ran up to them and Images appeared beside Ron while they looked at the Horned Tail, now nearly all stone, the only parts still alive being it's three heads. Ron then walked up to the creature as it looked at him enraged before a seal of demonic runes went around the entire dragon.

"If you think that you can still fight us, that spell will keep your power out of your reach." said Sarceal as he stood up straight, sheath glowing in his hand.

"Who are you, you can't be human." Said the Horn Tail as Sarceal walked up beside Ron. "And why is an ex-Commander of the Black Mage working with you?"

"That isn't of your concern." Said Ron as the seal around them disappeared letting Nick and Images run over to Iso who had finished healing Starling. "What I want to know is how did you get this sheath."

"If you mean the one that demon slayer holds in his hand, it was because of a warrior that came before the pirate over there." Said Horn Tail as its eyes suddenly turned yellow. "It was glorious, my own bloodlust increased as a voice was whispering in my ear, telling me to kill for it, preaching to me of how each death would revive them further."

"Then it's as I feared, it's _his_ sheath." Said Sarceal as he looked up at the Horn Tail before Ron looked up at the figure on the cliff as they jumped down, landing beside Nick before handing him a letter saying something before Ron created a letter, already written, in his hand before it flew in the direction of the figure making them catch it shocked while looking at him.

"You mean the sheaths that appeared on the chain's the black mage used when he tried to fully use them?" asked the Horn Tail before Sarceal nodded.

"The same." Said Sarceal as Ron looked back before Sarceal looked at Ron. "What did you just give him?'

"A letter asking to not tell the girl who saved her, and a request to join the Silent Crusade." Said Ron making Sarceal look at him shocked. "It will be easier for me to find out where the other parts of the Chains are if it's as we theorized in this fight."

"Good point… very well." Said Sarceal as he looked back at the Horn Tail as the heads closed their eyes. "Do you know what this warrior who put the sheath into you was?"

"A man in similar armor as you are wearing now, except with a black hole in the center." Said the Horn Tail making Sarceal turn stern as Ron looked at the dragon with the same fear as he felt the last time something like this happened.

"Did this hole have a bright red rim around it that seems to move on it's own?" asked Sarceal before the dragon's left head nodded. Sarceal then picked up his mace looking at the dragon. "Very well, I'll relieve you of your suffering now so you can regenerate."

Sarceal then did a single swing before a form of a demonic dog came rippling out of the mace and bit through all three heads causing the stone to crumble in from moving so close together before turning to dust that flew around all of them, allowing each to gain knowledge from warriors that fought it beforehand before it stopped and Ron walked over to the others as the figure picked up Starling and used a return scroll to leave the area before Ron walked over to the others as they looked at the area the figure left by.

"So what was the letter about?" asked Ron before Nick handed it to him.

"They said to hand it to you from a source in their higher command." Said Images as he leaned on his spear as Ron opened it. When he fully opened it the letter exploded before a seal appeared in front of them that made the others back away as Ron read the runes on the seal immediately.

"Light, darkness, travel, time, space, harmony." Said Ron as each rune appeared and started spinning around the center before he looked over at Sarceal. "I'm guessing this is them?"

"Yeah, they sort of like flashy entrances." Said Sarceal before a portal opened up and a hooded figure stepped out of it. "So you didn't want to warn us when you wanted to show yourself?"

"Now if I did that then it would ruin the surprise." Said the figure in a disfigured voice as they walked forward before holding out their hand. "Leader of the Silent Crusade, at your service."

"Why is someone so important here?" asked Images before the figure looked at him.

"That will be revealed in due time, in the meantime I'd like to extend invitations to all of you to join the Silent Crusade. This also includes you, Sarceal."

"I'll think about it, but we'll need to discuss the details for _him_." Said Sarceal before the figure nodded and they both walked over to a corner and started talking.

"Silent Crusade?" asked Nick making Images look at him.

"They're a secret organization that works on fighting against the main leaders of the monsters of each area, excluding the expedition leaders." Said Images as Ron leaned on the wall looking up at the edge of the cliff. "At least until now, anyway. I wonder what caused them to send someone to fight an expedition monster?"

"My best guess is they were sent in to get the sheath that was in the Horn Tail's chest." Said Ron as he looked back at the remains of the Horn Tail, now changing into a ritual statue as the area became older than it looked before. "The only question is why is it of importance to them?"

"I don't know but it's rare for their leader to show up after missions that others take." Said Iso as he started healing Nick and Images, Ron drinking a potion to ease the pain his muscles were giving him from overuse again. "They say that no one knows the leader's true identity, but it seems he knows Sarceal pretty well."

"Seeing how powerful he is, they probably asked him to join once." Said Images as they looked over at the two before Sarceal looked over at them.

"Ron, get over here." Said Sarceal making Ron look over confused before he walked over to see the leader draw a seal in the air before they were encircled in light and darkness making him look around shocked. "Allow me to introduce you to the guardian of this realm."

"Zelora, nice to meet you." Said the figure as they pulled down their hood revealing a woman with a scar on her left eye. "So you're Hirok's student?"

"Pretty much." Said Ron as he looked at them. "So why did you show up?"

"Sarceal said our reinforcements arrived." Said Zelora as she looked over at Sarceal. "We were talking and agreed that you should join the Silent Crusade, though apparently you sent a letter with one of my crusaders so you have some terms to the agreement."

"Just a few." Said Ron while he looked at them, serious now that most things were out of the way. "First, you can't say which group of people saved Starling in order to keep me and Sarceal secret from any enemy Intel that may come from spies. Second, I would like to be her partner in jobs like the ones she usually has."

"Okay then, that can easily be done." Said Zelora before Ron raised up his hand.

"One more thing, I'll be acting like a person that just started fighting in order to keep my cover and will be causing a lot of mistakes." Said Ron making the two look at him shocked. "If that demon is truly of Eroka's forces, then we'll need to be cautious until the appointed time. So I'll have to not use any of my usual powers unless necessary, but I will be using my techniques."

"Okay then, it usually takes two weeks for the papers to be done, but we'll make an exception." Said Zelora as she looked at him. "So will you be needing a new weapon or materials for one?"

"I'm no blacksmith, that is a fact I sadly can never deny." Said Ron as a coin formed in the air. "I'm only good at forming things from a mix of my mind's imagination and my weaving of light and darkness inherited from Hirok."

"I see, well I'll have my men work on one of the weapons you have in mind." Said Zelora before a paper appeared that had various drawings of weapons and writing explaining each before another that had a single pole with designs on it. "This is pretty complex."

"Like I said before, I have a big imagination, no ability of blacksmithing." Said Ron as he looked over at Zelora. "So can your people make it?"

"It will take at least three weeks to make it." Said Zelora as she pulled her hood up while the seal started to fade revealing the others in the same place they were before hand.

"Time seal?" asked Ron before the other two nodded as the others looked over.

"Anyway I'll give you your first job within the week, and I'll send Starling ahead of you so that you won't cause suspicion." Said Zelora before she took out a return scroll. "As for your guild?"

"We'll stay out of the crusade, though thank you for the offer." Said Images as he leaned on his spear looking at Zelora. "We will, however, keep our ties with you by our new guild member here."

"I see, well you may as well go on a few quests with him so that you have better knowledge of who he is." Said Zelora before she tore the scroll and was gone.

"Hey that reminds me, why don't people go through those scrolls two at a time?" asked Ron making Images look at him.

"The only time you can do that is if you're carrying a wounded ally, like Iso and the others were doing to get our other guild members to safety back when you helped defeat Grand Pa Snail." Said Images allowing Ron to remember it. "Anyway that's only if you're holding onto the person that goes with you, if you go separately then you might end up with half of your body here from the portal closing."

"Okay then." Said Ron shivering at the thought. Though he knew it wouldn't harm him in his actual form back at home, it would still be pretty painful from the fact of how this form reacted to the effects of Hirok's spell. "So what do we do now?"

"Now we go to the guild to rest, I have a few teleportation rocks that can send us to the entrance." Said Images as he pulled out a bag before handing each of them a rock from it. "For those who haven't used them it's simple, just press the name of the area on the rock and they'll send you to the area imprinted with the name."

"Okay then, I'll see you later." Said Sarceal as he handed the stone back. "I'll be looking into the reason this sheath was in the Horn Tails chest."

"Okay then." Said Images before Sarceal's wings came out from under his cloak and he flew up through the hole in the cavern while the others just looked at him. "So he's the ex-commander of the Black Mages original forces?"

"Yep, but he's changed a lot since when he woke up." Said Ron as he looked at the stone before they all pressed the letters on the stones before Ron was in front of a large house as the others started appearing in front of him.

"Welcome to headquarters, centered in Gaea, a city made by our ancestors." Said Images as he looked over at Ron who just looked at the place in shock. "I say we should go eat."

"That is agreeable." Said Ron as he felt his own hunger coming forth. As he was walking with the others he was contacting Hirok to tell him what happened.

_Hey Ron, what's up? _Came Hirok's voice as Ron went through the door of the house.

_Apparently someone's already found the chains and stabbed the sword sheath into Chaos Horn Tail. _Replied Ron as he heard people welcoming Images and the others, not surprised when people were asking whom he was before they stopped at a table that was covered in food. _I'll tell you more after I eat._

_Speaking of which, you'll still need to do that either way, keeps your mind in shape so you'll stay in that realm, plus I'm not that good at spells that work through realms unless it's myself. _ Said Hirok as Ron grabbed a few pizza slices and a drink before he began eating. _Anyway I'll talk to you in the future, just remember to send in a report in a few hours._

With that he felt Hirok's mind leave the area before he took a few more slices as well as a few large chicken wings and walked over to the others who were just staring at him in shock.

"How are you eating so much?" asked Nick as Ron scarped down two pizza's.

"Phi alphays eaph mph muph." Was all Ron could say while eating confusing Nick before he finished eating the pieces he had. "I said I always eat this much."

"Okay then... well anyway we'll need to get you a home to live in." said Images as he pulled out a map that had reserved areas around them and out of the city. "You can choose from these ones and the guild's sponsors pay for it."

"I see." Said Ron as he picked up a chicken wing and started tearing the meat off of the bone before he looked at one area that was within a green and gray space. He then pointed to the area to see if they have an idea of it. "Where's this one?"

"It's a house that's on a mountain." Said Images as he looked at the space Ron was pointing to before leaning back as Ron finished eating the last of his chicken wings. "That place has plenty of trees around it and a portal gate that leads here, but it's entrance is just a few feet from a two-hundred story cliff as well as a few rumors of it being haunted, so no one really wants to live there."

"Sounds interesting." Said Ron before he opened a small rift that sucked in the chicken bones while he held the plate before it closed immediately. "I think I'll live there."

"Okay then, just be careful, people that go there don't usually come back sane." Said Nick making Ron laugh.

"You thought I was sane?" Asked Ron before Images handed him a key as well as a watch that had number coordinates.

"Go to the last room in the hallway over there." Said Images as he pointed to an opened door revealing a hallway where there were a few mages and warriors.

"Okay then, thanks." Said Ron before he stood up and started walking. "I'll be over there if you need me."

With that Ron moved to the hallway and looked at the doors, noticing each having a number similar to the housing areas that he saw on the map before he came to last door, whose the handle was dusty unlike the other ones. He just sighed as he turned the door knob and opened it to see a portal into a room that seemed to have dust over the dust before he walked into it smiling as he looked around the place.

"Roomy." Was all Ron said as he flicked his wrist, firing a blast of magic that flew throughout the house cleaning it and adding items onto the walls of each area as Ron looked through the link it had with his hand. When it had returned most of the place was clean save a few rooms. Ron just sighed as he walked through the house looking at its properties. Parts of the walls were falling apart as well as a few of the wood boards rotting, but he easily fixed that up with some magic besides one part.

"Another person comes to my home?" asked a voice making Ron turn to see an ethereal figure in a set of black armor with a spear before they took off their helmet revealing a mans face with one side of their face burned before the wall behind Ron started fixing itself from the magic. "I'm surprised people have started coming back after those workers tried to destroy the place a few weeks ago."

"So you're the spirit of this place?" asked Ron as he looked over at the spirit, a bit in shock from the spirits figure. "Why are you here?"

"I built this house after we found this city, but there were thugs that wanted it as a base of operations." Said the spirit before he patted the burn mark on his face. "Thanks to them I got this and they ended up scaring people away from this place with that rumor, though your guild leader saw otherwise when I taught him."

"You taught him how to use that spear?" asked Ron before the spirit nodded. "He said that there were rumors that this place was haunted."  
"As he should have, gave me a reason to live in peace." Said the spirit before a few pieces of furniture appeared in the room. "So you're a mage?"

"No, I'm a half guardian, half demon in training." Said Ron as he sat down on a couch that appeared across from a wall that a TV was forming on. "So why are you still around?"

"I put my spirit into that spear that Aaron uses." Said the spirit making Ron look at him confused. "I'm guessing he's still going by that other title he's gotten through the fights he's been in for appearing all over the place."

"Other title?" asked Ron before he remembered how Images appeared in three places while fighting the jesters. "You mean Images?"

"Yes, that boy." Said the spirit making Ron laugh. "What's so funny?"

"I just never expected that to be his name from how he looks." Said Ron before the spirit just nodded.

"Peoples names can seem different than their appearances." Said the spirit before he looked at Ron. "Speaking of which, who are you, and how come you're not frightened of me?"

"Ron, first student of Hirok in the past fifteen thousand years." Said Ron making the spirit look at him shocked. "I'll explain why he's been around that long later."

"And you look that scrawny?" asked the spirit before he looked at the entrance as the door on it reformed while insects began to fly out of the house from their homes beginning to disappear or burn away. "Well I'm Rayland, originally master spear teacher of the explorers in life."

"Well it's good to meet you." Said Ron before he heard the portal make a noise as he placed his weapons by the door making him look over as he put his pistols back. "What was that?"

"Probably Aaron, he usually comes by." Replied the spirit before Images came out of the room looking around the place shocked.

"How did you fix this place up so fast?" asked Images before Ron held up his hand as a light orb appeared in it. "Oh right, you can use magic. So what do you think of the place."

"Pretty nice Aaron." Said Ron smirking making Images just sigh before looking at Rayland, now sitting in a chair to the side of the couch.

"Did you really have to tell him my name?" asked Images before Rayland's good side of his face smirked.

"Of course, otherwise there would be more secrets to this house." Said Rayland before Images just sighed and looked at Ron.

"Anyway, I just came over to see if you freaked out like the others did when they saw him." Said Images as he checked the place. "But seeing from how this place is I'm guessing otherwise."

"Yep, but you'll have to send Sarceal my address so he can give the address to the Silent Crusade leader." Said Ron as an apple appeared in his hand.

"Okay then, but one more thing." Said Images before he pulled out a phone from his pocket and handed it to Ron. "It already has my number in it as well as Iso, Sarceal, and Nicks number."

"Okay then, thanks." Said Ron before he put the phone in his pocket and looked at Images.

"Anyway, I told Sarceal your number and asked him to give it to the Silent Crusade leader." Said Images reminding Ron of Zelora before Images started to leave. "Anyway I'll see you later, I need to work on the payments for the place."

"Got it." Said Ron before Images went through the door before the portal made a sound again letting Ron know that he left. Ron then sighed as he stood up and walked to the entrance. "Well, I'm going to go train."

"Be careful, there are some ancient monsters here that have seen more fights than even Horn Tail." Said Rayland before he disappeared

"I'll keep that in mind." Said Ron as he grabbed his pole arm from the wall before he opened the door to see just how close the cliff was to the house. "Hmmm, dive or walk around…"

Ron just grinned before he ran and jumped off of the cliff. Ron then looked down to see the cliff fell a few thousand feet towards where traces of a lake used to be making him wonder how Rayland lived in this area for so long before his wings tore out of his back and he glided over the area in wonder. He then pulled out the book he took from the fallen guardian and started reading it, searching in the table of contents before finding the chains.

* * *

Author: And cue the awkward silence for the next week.

Connor: It's not that bad.

Author: not if you like to think of ideas at random moments.

Connor: I'm you, remember.

Author: Right, right. So I'm just talking to myself. Great... well this is what I get for having a writers block. At least I made reserves.

Ron: well be sure to R&R before the author thinks of something or puts up another chapter within the week.


	3. First Mission

"Day seven." Said Ron as he stood in front of his house watching the sun rise before he noticed a flying machine by his mailbox just before it turned around and left. Ron walked over to the mail and opened it to see a few letters, two were for the guild's events and one was a scarlet letter with an SC on the front making him smile.

During the past three days he learned that this version of Wonderwerk was one that never met his character and never went silent. Not only that but the guild was ten times bigger than the other one and, though it was a new guild, was rising fast because of its leaders reputation. Ron had gone on a few missions with them, but most quests were taken by the people that got up earlier than most, so he spent most of his time conversing with the other two about the times and current events.

(three days ago)

"And no quests again." said Ron sighing as he saw all the quests taken as Images walked over.

"You could wake up earlier." suggested Images, making Ron burst out laughing as he walked past him to the food court.

"The only time I manage that is when I haven't been training the evening before." said Ron as he looked at Images. "So, how has everyone been doing?"

"Good, Hammi and Nick have gained their final job advancements and Iso has been helping the expedition groups." said Images as they sat down at one table covered in breakfast foods. "Rayland told me that they didn't train others hard enough for job advancements as they did for his generation, and he's right on all accounts"

"I know what you mean, I have two instructors that trained me over the edge each day before I came here." said Ron as he remembered the life he had back home, training in a martial arts class. "They're still powerful, but nowhere near as experienced as they need to be. And we're both nowhere as experienced as Sarceal is since he fought in the war alongside the Black Mage."

"That is a truth that may never be learned." said Images as he poured two glasses of water and handed one to Ron, who took it and held it up in cheers before draining it. "So then, gotten any missions from the Crusade?"

"No, unfortunately." said Ron as he looked at his empty glass before taking the pitcher and pouring more water into it. "I'm still wondering on what I should do for it."

"It wont be so bad if the partner you get isn't a pain." said Images making Ron smirk. Images then stood up from his side before turning away. "Anyway, I have to do some accounting on the guilds finances right now, so I'll talk to you later."

"Got it." said Ron as he stared into his drink, remembering more of his life outside of this where he was only sleeping in at the moment.

(present time)

Ron then snapped back into reality when he heard something crash in the trees, reminding him of the monsters that lived here, before he turned around and walked to the door. "Got the letter you've been waiting for?" asked Rayland as Ron walked into the house before he cleared a desk in the room of books and papers that had myths about possible locations of the Chains before he opened the first two letters.

"Two from the guild, the last from the Crusade." Said Ron as he looked at the two letters while he set down the letter from the crusade as he read the first two letters. "These are just for the events that I've already been to."

"They probably want you to do them again." Said Rayland before Ron picked up the final letter and opened it. "What does the Crusade say?"

"I have my first mission in Perion." Said Ron as his pole arm flew into its sheath on his back before he walked over to the kitchen and started to cook some eggs for breakfast while Rayland flew through the wall to hear what the letter said. "I'm to go to Wence so that I'll get the details for it."

"Good, you're going to have your first mission there." Came a voice before Sarceal entered the room and Rayland disappeared. This was normal for him since he never showed himself unless Images or Iso were around. "That means that Zelora got some Intel about our thief."

"Though I doubt that will do any good, if she doesn't know the corruption in her crusade." Said Ron making Sarceal look at him shocked.

"You know more about the Crusades structure than we were told?" asked Sarceal before Ron nodded as he finished the eggs and put them on two plates before walking with them to the table. "So what do you know about them, since you have Intel that we don't."

"The Silent Crusade runs off of sponsors, but one of them is pretty corrupt." Said Ron as he remembered the last mission he had been on. He then set both plates down in two areas, one where Sarceal was sitting, and another area across from it. "That sponsor in particular is also the reason I chose to work with Starling."

"I see, so you're planning on protecting her from something that's going to happen?" Asked Sarceal before Ron nodded. "So how do you know that he'll aim for her?"

"He has a way of using Crusade members then blaming them for his crimes." Said Ron making Sarceal look at him shocked. "I wont say his name because he may be a key to finding out where our Chain Thief is, and the walls have ears in any location."

"Very well, I'll ask no further about him, but when he does start commotion, warn Zelora immediately." Said Sarceal before Ron nodded as Sarceal handed him a bag of supplies before they started eating. When they were done they both walked out to the entrance to see the sun near the center of the sky. "Okay then, just stay in contact with us in case there's a chain link on this enemy, and keep your plan going."

"Got it." Said Ron before he tore the scroll and walked through the opening portal before he was in front of a desert he knew too well while he walked over to where a few steps were, leading to a man beside a chest. As Ron walked up the stair, the man looked over at him checking as if he was looking at his clothing.

"So you're Ron?" asked the man before Ron nodded making the man smile. "Good to meet you, I'm Wence, or the guy you threw the letter at."

"Good to meet you Wence, didn't know you were that powerful for your age." Said Ron as he looked at him, smirking as he saw Wence's eyebrow twitch. "So you know the whole plan?"

"Yeah, you'll be pretending to be a rookie." said Wence before handing Ron a medal and a ring which Ron took before he pointed over to where they could see the tip of an excavation sight. "Starling's already headed over there and is waiting for you to arrive, and don't worry, she doesn't know who saved her other than the fact that it was a guild. You already know the mission from what our leader said?"

"Take out Lord Skeleton over at the closed area of the excavation site so the skeletal warriors lose their chain of command for a week and will settle down until their leader returns to life, right?" asked Ron before Wence nodded. "Okay then, expect Starling coming back here a few minutes after I leave."

With that Ron fired a single beam that flew over towards the site before a portal opened in front of them and Ron made sure it was to the right location before walking in. As the portal closed behind him, Ron looked up to see the entrance of Lord Skeletons home a few levels above him with a wide terrain of skeleton generals all looking at him as he hopped up the levels with ease before he landed right at the entrance and entered seeing no one around that could notice him. As he walked through the entrance he put up a seal right under it that would cause the next person that steps on it to be hit by a random flying fish that would form from the air before he continued walking. While he walked through the path he noticed that the hallway did a few turns but was soon in a giant room where a familiar blonde pirate stood on the floor across from him, and a giant skeleton with a crown, robes and glowing red eyes on the floor bellow them.

"What are you supposed to be?" asked the girl letting Ron recognize her as Starling before he just smirked as he looked over at her.

"I am a... pfft who am I kidding, I have no name for what I am." Said Ron smiling as he looked over at her making her just glare at him before sighing.

"Great, another rookie to babysit." Said Starling as she held her head in her hand as if with a migraine. "My lucky day."

_Far more than you'll realize. _Thought Ron as he looked back smirking before he looked down at the boss. _Next is the part I despise of her speeches most of all…_

"Actually, you might be of some use." Said Starling making Ron look at her in false confusion. "I don't feel like wasting my time on weak monsters today, take care of them for me. And do it right. If I have to clean up after you, I wont be happy."

"Very well." Said Ron as Starling turned to leave from the other exit. "And be careful of flying fish as you're leaving."

"Whatever, rookie." Said Starling in a not caring voice before she disappeared into darkness as Ron jumped down to the king.

"Well, she's pretty happy." Said Ron as the giant skeleton looked at him while he cracked his knuckles. "Too bad she wont take my advice from how she talked, in fact it should occur in five, four, three, two, one."

There was then silence for a few seconds before they heard a scream come from both entrances making the Lord Skeleton look around shocked from the volume of it. "And you're supposed to be on her side?" asked the skeleton as Ron started laughing as soon as the scream started.

"Eh I'm on a job where I have to pretend to be a rookie, so what?" asked Ron before he appeared in front of the skeleton kicking it into the wall barely denting it as his eyes turned blood red. "Doesn't mean I can't have a few laughs, which could also happen if I crushed your bones."

"You impudent human!" said the skeleton before they tried to punch Ron before Ron held up his hand and stopped it as his eyes gleamed red. "What?"

"I'm a half guardian half demon in training." Said Ron as he punched through the skeletons skull with his free hand, causing the rest of it's body to crumble. "Be sure to remember that."

With that he looked at the area before he saw something flickering in the shadows making him walk over to find a black pistol on the ground with an name on it's handle that read 'Starling' making him smirk as he picked it up and placed it in one of his holsters. He then turned around and walked back to the remains of the skeleton to find a bag of mesos and a fragment of its robes that didn't disintegrate with it, which he grabbed with the bag before he pulled out a teleportation scroll and used it to return to Perion to see Starling talking to Wence before he walked over, creating water droplets on his forehead to use as false sweat before Starling looked at him just to cut her eyes and look back at Wence.

"Apparently you left a little gift for her at the exit." Said Wence as he tossed a fish at Ron, which he caught sighing.

"I warned her about flying fish, there were a few being flung at me from one of the skeletons for some reason." Said Ron sincerely before he pulled out the gun from his holster and handed it to Starling. "I believe this is yours."

"Whatever, I have plenty of these." Said Starling as she took it and put it an empty holster at her side. "Only a rookie pulls tricks like this."

"Yeah, yeah." Said Ron as he sat down on the chest smirking. "So where did it end up for that big of a scream?"

"None of your concern." Replied Starling before she turned around. "I'll be heading back to headquarters."

"Okay then." Said Wence before Starling pulled out a teleport rock and vanished. Wence then turned to Ron looking a bit ticked. "You should watch what you do, even if you'll go off easy with the first ones."

"I know, but I just couldn't resist with how she acted towards me." Said Ron as he looked at Wence, which was technically true since every time he started the quest on his game and he got to her he wanted to pull something on her. "Either way it won't happen again, I promise."

"Okay then, just be careful." Said Wence as he handed a bag of coins to Ron, which he took sighing. "I'll give the report to our leader."  
"That isn't necessary." Came a voice before Ron and Wence looked in front of the stairs to see a hooded figure Ron easily recognized as Zelora. "So you set up a trap that caused a flying fish to hit Starling?"

"Yep, guilty as charged." Said Ron smiling while Wence just looked at him before Zelora laughed.

"Knowing your teacher, I'm not surprised." Said Zelora as she pulled out a pencil and paper before writing something. "Anyway I'm sending Starling over to stay at your house."

"And for what purpose is this for?" Asked Ron as he looked over at her confused.

"One, to get you two to know each other better as team mates, and two, because I'm planning on redecorating my daughters room for her birthday." Said Zelora making Ron wide eyed.

"SHE'S YOUR DAUGHTER?" exclaimed Ron, making a few people that were passing look over confused before they continued walking as Ron regained his composure. "More importantly, I didn't really get off on a good start with her, plus the fact that I barely know her, and the other fact that she probably will want to kill me, and countless other reasons I don't really have to point out."

"Which is a better reason why you two should share a house together for the moment." Said Zelora making Ron look at her sternly.

"You're doing this just so she can get me back for the fish thing, aren't you?" asked Ron just to get a smirk from under Zeloras hood that didn't really answer anything. Ron just sighed as he pulled out the teleportation rock he got from Images, now with his house encoded on it. "Fine, I'll allow it, but you're pushing these things too fast. Now what's the real reason you're here?"

"I have the Intel you were looking for about the chains and their thief." Said Zelora making Ron look at her before she handed him an envelope. "Be sure to check it as soon as you get home."

"Okay then, just remember that if she finds out my actual strength then my cover may be in jeopardy." Said Ron before he tapped the words for his house just for the scene to melt to the entrance. Ron then sighed as he opened the door and walked in before he checked the time. 2:00, just two hours since he left. "So much free time, nothing to do."

"You could watch something." Suggested Rayland as he appeared making Ron look at him.

"They have just as crappy shows on as back where I come from. What I wouldn't give to see the Gladiator events in Ricaldron." Said Ron as he tossed his pole arm into the wall and laid down on the couch, looking up at the ceiling as he started scanning the crevices on it. He already told Rayland about the dimensions and realms outside of this world but he was already used to not talking about his realm. "Well, I'm going to think of something to do."

Ron then closed his eyes for a few minutes before he opened them and just walked over to his desk to read the contents of the envelope. When he opened it a small parchment came out that he opened to read before he sighed as he looked at what it said:

_Starling's bringing the booklet with her, so there's another thing to wait for._

Ron just groaned as he leaned back in his chair. _Why is the guardian of this realm focused on getting us to be a good team? _Thought Ron as he looked up at the ceiling before he took the book he found on the guardian and started reading it.

"Though there are many legendary weapons of this world, none currently compare to the chains of the black mage, said to make the user hundreds of times more powerful than they were before, but at the price of greed and a lust for power that might never be quenched." Said Ron as he read the book. "Many have tried to find these chains, hoping to gain their power for themselves, but none were successful. It's been said that the first holder of the chains was the very person that broke them into pieces in front of the Black Mage, the Ex Commander of his forces whose name remains unknown."

"Unless you've went on an expedition with him like we have." Came a voice making Ron turn to see Images walking in. "So how did the first mission go?"

"Good, the only people that know who saved her are you, me, and the others that were conscious in that cave, though not all went as planned." Said Ron as he looked back at the book. "Now if only this book could give locations of the chains."

"It's only studies, so they don't even know where they are." Said Images as he sat down in the other chair before he realized what Ron said. "Wait, what do you mean by 'not as planned?'"

"Well no one suspects me of being anything other than a rookie, but then the leader gave an order to let their daughter move in while they redecorate her room." Said Ron making Images laugh.

"What's so bad about that?" asked Images before Ron created a picture of Starling from his memory followed by a small writing of 'this girl' before he tossed it at Images just to hear the laughing immediately stop. "Isn't she-"

"Yep." Said Ron as he went back to reading the book.

"So she's the daughter of-"

"Yep."

"And the leader is making her temporarily move in with-"

"Yep."

"And you need to make it seem like you're a rookie while you-"

"Yep."

"Are they right in the head?" asked Images as he looked at Ron.

"Once you've been around people like them for a long time, you learn no one is." Said Ron before there was a knock at the door. "Hey Rayland, is it her?"

"Yeah, and amazingly carrying only a few bags." Said Rayland as he came into the area before Images got up to leave. "You're not staying?"  
"No," said Images as he walked over to the portal entrance. "I still need to finish some things for the guild, and it seems you guys have your own problems at the moment, so I'll be back with a job or two for Ron."

"Never would've guess." Said Ron as he got up and walked over to the door before looking through the hole to find Starling in the same outfit as before but with a bag on her back and two at her sides. Ron just sighed as he opened the door and looked at her. "Hello."

"Took you long enough." Said Starling as she walked in while Ron stood back before she saw the place. He then picked up her bags and brought them in as she looked over at him. "Such a small place."

"What did you expect, a secret base?" asked Ron as he walked back to his desk and started moving the piles of papers into a stack on the table before he took one and started reading it as Starling looked at him.

"So where's my room?" asked Starling as Rayland appeared behind her and pointed to one room that Ron remembered putting nothing in. Ron tapped his foot, sending a small invisible wave of magic through the floor and into the room before a bed and a few drawers formed inside as he pointed to the door, his eyes holding a near invisible rune on them that let him see the inside of the room.

"Over there, just don't cause too many disturbances." Said Ron as he walked over to the door as one point lightly glowed green and disappeared letting him know that a mirror was attached on the wall. "Oh, and the leader also said you had a few papers for my work?"

"Yes, right here rookie." Said Starling as she pulled out a folder filled quite a bit which Ron took shocked. "Now I'm going to leave to get some supplies, so don't expect me back for awhile."

"Okay then, and my name is Ron just so you know." Said Ron as he opened the folder to find a letter similar to the one Zelora gave him fall out. He then picked it up and opened it as he heard the door close, finding the letter to be in complete Ricaldrian before he started to translate it in his mind.

_Dear Ron,_

_Sorry about pushing my daughter into your problems but I needed a person that I knew I could trust without people expecting them, and seeing as your master was Hirok, I immediately thought of you. I found out that the people that have grudges against our organization have decided to exact revenge by attacking Starling, which is why I'm hoping you can protect her from them. If you need to keep your true strength hidden then I understand, but just protect her._

_Another thing, the letter has a tracking seal that will let you teleport into her direction if you say yes. This is a secret order from the Crusade to protect your comrade, but it's also a request from me to keep her safe._

_May the balance guide your judgment._

_Z._

_P.S. the notes we contain only have rumors of the chains, but nothing on the thief._

Ron just stared at it shocked as Rayland appeared behind him, face in the same look of shock. "So she really wanted you to protect her?" asked Rayland making Ron slam his own head on the desk. "Ron?"

"Idiot." Said Ron to himself before he stood up, looking at the window. "She knew we were being watched at the time so she had to hide the fact of what was going on. If this is true then I'll need to go now."

"Why?" asked Rayland before Ron held up his hand to silence him while he just formed a mirror that let him see the window opposite of his desk. He then got up before he formed a flame in his hands and started burning the letter, watching as a seal appeared on it and disappeared just as soon. When it stopped he walked over to his weapons and started working on seals on them.

"This means that they'll be watching our every move soon." Said Ron as his face turned serious while his armor changed into a hooded jacket and pants. He then walked over to the door as soon as he finished with the seals before he looked back at Rayland while he pulled up his hood. "Make sure no one tries to enter without us knowing."

"Hey, I'm dead, not useless." Said Rayland as a dark red spear came into his right hand. "How else was I supposed to have taught Aaron."

"That's the fighting I'm counting on." said Ron as he opened the door before running off the cliff as his wings, this time demon wings with guardian feathers covering the skin, tore out of his back as he flew over the trees to see Starling's aura just entering the town before he flew straight over the building she was beside and landed, wings disappearing as his daggers appeared on his belt with one of his pistols. He then jumped off the building, cloaked by darkness so he wouldn't be seen before he landed in an alleyway and kept his gaze on Starling as she entered the building across from him, a weapons store.

_Well, I've been needing to get some ideas for armor to ask Zelora to make. _Was all Ron thought as he walked over to the weapon store, keeping his gaze on the people he saw around the store. _And hello again to my paranoia from the spies two years ago__._

* * *

Author: Well then, not sure how people will like the fact of how long I've been keeping this

Connor:What are you talking about, no one reads this.

Author: Good point, but that just means I can finish the story for the multidimensional war and sell it without people pretending to be me to blackmail me.

Connor: Not sure if that made sense or it didn't.

Ron: when do we do either?

Author: Exactly. Anyway, be sure to R&R this chapter and see what I need to fix up, I wont give any more promises on the next chapter since I have a bunch of reserves that I'm still working on patching up, as well as this one so expect a few changes later.

signing out-


End file.
